JOHN FADELLE
John's first contact with the SVR was on a trip with his university's railway society in 1967 when his group was shown around Bridgnorth Station. John was inspired and promptly became a member.
John continued his career as a chartered engineer and describes his SVR status during these years as an 'armchair member'. In the 1990s, he bought a share in a caravan at Highley and spent more time at the SVR on his retirement in 2010, he moved to Bridgnorth and became a regular volunteer.
John's first generous gesture was to buy a milling machine for the engineering works. He then identified a role for himself organising all the SVR's engineering drawings. Over the next two years he scanned and created a database of nearly 2,000 drawings, developed links with other railways and devised a system for sharing drawings with the wider railway community.
LISTEN TO JOHN FADELLE
(TALKING TO GEOFFREY GILBERT)
John has became known as the 'Drawing Man'. Based in the Engineering Office, he makes drawings of engine parts which haven't been drawn before.
In this extract he explains how he spotted the niche he's created for himself and talks about his 'other role' as the SVR tour guide.